Flesh-eating disease: what to watch for, how it's treated

A number of people in London have contracted so called "flesh-eating" disease, as part of a streptococcus outbreak in the city and surrounding areas.

The outbreak was declared more than 18 months ago and the Middlesex-London Health Unit said more than 132 cases of infection have been reported since April 1, 2016.

Of the cases, 15 per cent had necrotizing fasciitis, also known as "flesh-eating" disease.

An expert with London Health Sciences said necrotizing fasciitis "can be tricky to recognize" but is treatable if detected early. 

"This is still a very rare infection," said Dr. Michael Silverman, an infectious disease specialist with London Health Sciences Centre.

He said the disease damages tissues under the skin, and causes the skin to die.

"The critical thing is that these processes have to be stopped urgently, and usually this requires a combination of medications, antibiotics, and surgery to drain the infection and let the pus out," Silverman said.   

Watch for 'severe deep pain' from cuts, scrapes

A warning sign, according to Silverman, is when pain begins to radiate outward from a cut or scrape.

"It's not just a paper cut, where you are feeling right where the little cut is. This is something where someone may have a cut on the finger and now they note that the hand, and the whole arm, is starting to really hurt. A severe deep pain. And that is very worrisome," he said.

Silverman stresses that if this severe pain is present and is worsening over time, that's when people should seek medical attention.

"If intervention occurs early, we do not usually get the severe problem of amputation or death," he said.